Gingrich, Bachmann, Pawlenty Address MN Family Council

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) — At this hour in Minneapolis, three presumed presidential candidates are preparing to address the Minnesota Family Council in downtown Minneapolis.

Two of the candidates, Newt Gingrich and Rep. Michele Bachmann are speaking in person, former Gov. Tim Pawlenty will speak through video feed.

The presence of three candidates shows the influence of this group and the battle republican contenders will have for conservative votes.

The Minnesota Family Council website features the invitation to Tuesday’s gathering, followed by news of the Minnesota Senate passing the constitutional ban on gay marriage.

In a week that has seen Mike Huckabee and Donald Trump announce they won’t run — the two Minnesota republicans who are still testing the waters, Pawlenty and Bachmann, find themselves with a great opportunity. Humphrey Institute Professor Larry Jacobs said the timing is right.

“This is the time when Tim Pawlenty and Michele Bachmann, if they are going to make their move, have to do it,” he said.

Both Bachmann and Pawlenty will deliver speeches to the Minnesota Family Council’s annual dinner at the Minneapolis Hilton. Gingrich is also speaking and hoping to lure conservative voters with a presidential bid.

Gingrich is hoping to appeal to Minnesota conservatives — but despite his conservative political credentials, Gingrich has to overcome his personal history of two divorces, and an affair with the woman who he later married — his current wife Calista.

“So while Gingrich has locked down conservative support, a lot of the folks who follow presidential politics have doubts as to whether he is going to be able to sustain his campaign in light of what is set to be a withering set of criticisms of him,” Jacobs said.

The first contest of the 2012 season, the Iowa caucuses, are a little more than nine months away.

Esme Murphy, a reporter and Sunday morning anchor for WCCO-TV, has been a member of the WCCO-TV staff since December 1990. She is also a weekend talk show host on WCCO Radio. Born and raised in New York City, Esme ventured into reporting after...

One Comment

I’m curious why isn’t WCCO doing a story about Amy Meyers, the high school student in New Jersey that wants to bebate Ms. Bachmann about the Constitution? I see bais in WCCO. They tend to only do stories on Bachmann that are in her favor. So much for the ‘liberal’ press.

HA! Perhaps they aren’t doing that story because it’s not much of a story at all. Some girl wanted to debate Bachmann on the Constitution. Big deal. How about this – I want to debate Barack Obama on the Constitution. If the media does not carry my announcement, can I claim bias?

It is truely amazing how religious nuts and closed minded rednecks have all these nice sounding names for their hate mongering groups! Aka the moral majority,on and on and on! If you are the Nazi party just freakin say so! Don’t try to fool people into giving you money and support! These are all GOP inspired hypocracy groups!

As for Bachmann don’t you wonder how much welfare payment she gets for her two dozen foster children? Has she ever worked a job,how much time does she spend with these kids.Can she even name all of them? I doubt it! Fruitcake anyone?

Phid, I devote 100% of my time to service to those with disabilties. It’s my job. I work 24/7/365. I don’t get vacations. I don’t get insurance. I sacrafice family time to do it. Don’t presume you know what I do, and what I donate to charity, which is probably more than you do. I love my job, and what I do. You seem to be a fan of the above 3. Are you against gay rights also, like the MN Family Council?

i cant think of two more anti- family and anti-christlike politicians than Gingrich and Bachman. They are simply hateful and ignorant and racist individuals. Not the Christ that i learned about growing up. In fact the MN Family Council is similarly anti-family and anti-christlike. The self rightiousness is stunning.